Wednesday

About 300 criminal charges have been filed against 56 people in the illegal harvesting of protected animal and fish species in Putnam, St. Johns, Alachua, Volusia and Marion counties.

The charges follow a 15-month investigation by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. The probe focused on people who were profiting from illegal commercialization of wildlife related to buying and selling deer, turtles and saltwater and freshwater fish.

There were 34 felony charges and 280 misdemeanor charges.

Gregg Eason, an investigative captain with the commission, said the most serious felony charges involved the poaching of deer that were sold to undercover agents and through various personal sales to other people and restaurants. Some of the charges involved illegal sale of frogs' legs without a license. And there was also killing and sales of soft-shell turtles.

Here are some of the most serious offenders arrested Wednesday:

Dakotah Cassels, 23, of Hawthorne, was charged with 25 misdemeanors and four felonies, while his father, Elmer Darryel Cassels, 46, was charged with seven misdemeanors and two felonies.

Dustin Spengler, 20, of Interlachen, was charged with 22 misdemeanors and two felonies.

James Sims, 28, of Elkton, was charged with seven misdemeanors and six felonies.

David P. Hays, 25, of Hastings, was charged with six misdemeanors and five felonies.

Dustin Rivers, 19, of Palatka, was charged with six misdemeanors and two felonies.

John Alan Boone, 22, of Hawthorne, was charged with three misdemeanors and three felonies.

Two brothers, ages 12 and 14, and a 15-year-old are charged with throwing missiles, a third-degree felony.

Truck driver Emanuel Gooden Jr., 57, of Jacksonville, was struck in the eye with debris Friday and taken to a hospital for treatment after his windshield was hit.

The juveniles, who are not being named because of their age, were charged after the brothers' mother met with police to say her sons admitted their involvement.

The three were arrested Wednesday.

Dana Treen

PUTNAM

Identity theft charge in mobile pet clinicA Putnam County woman has been charged with identity theft after authorities said she used the identity of an out-of-state veterinarian to run a mobile pet clinic.

Judy Grace Tabor, 40, was arrested on charges from Putnam and St. Johns counties, where she operated Pet Care A Van and Pet Caravan, according to the State Attorney's Office.

Spokeswoman Klare Ly of the State Attorney's Office said Tabor would need to be a licensed veterinarian to own the business.

Ly said the veterinarian whose name was used on the license was not aware of the business.

Tabor was charged with 11 felonies in St. Johns and five in Putnam.

Dana Treen

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